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Holiday Train coming to Kenmare

Canadian Pacific Railway has announced the Holiday Train will be stopping in Kenmare on Dec. 14.

11/08/16 (Tue)

Blues superstar Colin James is one of the performers on the CP Rail Holiday Train. James, who once opened shows for Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Rolling Stones and Steve Winwood, has released 18 albums in his career going back to 1986. He will be joined by Kelly Prescott.

By Marvin Baker

Canadian Pacific Railway has announced the Holiday Train will be stopping in Kenmare on Dec. 14.

Kenmare is one of six stops the Holiday Train will make in North Dakota and is also the final U.S. stop before crossing into Saskatchewan for three shows.

Country music star Kelly Prescott and blues great Colin James will headline shows across the Midwest with the Holiday Train band in the background.

Prescott and James will perform a half-hour show at First Avenue Southwest and Central Avenue, on the east side of the tracks in Kenmare.

The train will arrive at 8:30 p.m., on Dec. 14 and the performance will begin at 8:45 p.m.

This is the 18th year the Holiday Train will have stopped in North Dakota communities on behalf of local food banks.

There is no charge for the concert, but CP Rail officials ask only that visitors bring non-perishable food items to the show. In addition, CP Rail normally gives a cash donation to the local food pantry.

Keep reading The Kenmare News for details of where to drop off donations.

In addition, this is the third year the Holiday Train will promote its heart healthy program, meaning guests may bring heart healthy food items as a way to help fight the obesity issue in the United States today.

Not only does the train promote food donations across the country, it’s a time for the musicians, who may not have known each other before the train starts out, to work together and get new insight on how their peers perform.

Prescott, who grew up in Ottawa, has ridden the Canadian Holiday Train in past years and says she has really come to enjoy it.

“The Holiday Train exemplifies the spirit of giving and brings so much joy and hope to communities across North America,” Prescott said. “This has become a holiday tradition that truly brings people together. It’s all about neighbors helping neighbors and that’s a beautiful thing to witness. I’m blessed to play a small role in that. Once again, I look forward to another year aboard the Holiday Train as we raise money, food and awareness for Food Banks across Canada and the U.S. with Doc Walker & Colin James!”

Prescott receives regular air time on CBC Radio 2 and was awarded a gold record for her work on the CP Rail Holiday Train album that was released three years ago.

This will be the first time James has been involved with the train. But the Saskatchewan-born blues artist is ready to set out on a new adventure that he has learned much about.

His close friend Colin Linden, rode the steel rail 10 and 11 years ago and played in Carpio in 2007.

James has released 18 albums and 39 singles in his career that began in Saskatoon in 1986. He is best known for singles “Five Long Years,” released in 1986 and “Just Came Back” released in 1990.

James, who was recently inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, has worked with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana, Lenny Kravitz, B.B. King, Steve Winwood and the Rolling Stones.

He is best known for his blues guitar, but plays rock and jazz music as well and is expected to mix it up during the Holiday Train shows.